Summer berry tart

The inspiration for this dessert came from beautiful homegrown blackberries from my mother-in-law's garden. She brought us a big container full of the delicious blackberries. I like to keep them fresh that's why I used them for the top layer of this tart. 

I made a sweet and buttery shortcrust pastry for the base of the tart. The filling is a tangy and vibrant raspberry cremeux. Cremeux means "creamy" in French and it has a texture somewhere between a mousse and a pudding. It's a perfect filling for a tart. Cremeux is usually made with cream, milk, sugar, eggs and chocolate. This time I made it with raspberry puree, sugar, eggs and butter. The raspberry puree gives it a fresh sour taste and the butter makes it silky and satisfying. 

It's always a good idea to brush the baked tart crust with melted chocolate before you pour the filling in. The chocolate keeps the pastry nice and crisp. I used white chocolate but you can use whatever chocolate you have.

 

Summer berry tart

 

(Makes one 22cm)

Time:

Baking: 25min

Setting: 2 hours

 For the pastry:

• 150g soft butter
• 95g powdered sugar
• 30g almond flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 250g all-purpose flour
• 20g white chocolate melted (brushing the pastry)

For the raspberry cremeux:

• 3g gelatin
• 200g raspberry puree
• 70g eggs
• 55g egg yolks
• 55g sugar
• 70g room temperature butter

Blackberries, raspberries and cookies for topping

 

    

Making the pastry:

In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade(or in a bowl of a stand mixer), process the butter until soft. Add the sugar, almond flour and salt. Split the vanilla bean (or pour the extract) and scrape the seeds in. Add the egg and finally the sifted flour. 

Process until the dough forms a ball. Form into two equal discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Place one in the freezer for other desserts. Place the other one in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set. 

You can make the dough the day before and leave it in the fridge to rest overnight.

Roll the dough on lightly floured parchment paper until about 2,5mm thick. Place the dough gently in a round tart tin (22cm). Prick the bottom with a fork. Refrigerate the tart base for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). 

Line the chilled tart base with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Place in the oven and blind bake for 15 minutes.

Take the tart out of the oven and remove the baking beans. Place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the bottom of the tart is golden.

Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Melt white chocolate and brush the chocolate over the baked tart shell.

Making the raspberry cremeux:

Soak gelatin in cold water, set aside.

In a bowl lightly whisk sugar, eggs and egg yolks together. Place raspberry puree in a pot and bring to the boil. Slowly add the hot puree to the egg mixture, whisking all the time. This way you temper the eggs and they won't curdle. 

Pour the mixture back in the pot and cook on medium heat until it reaches 82°C (179°F) whisking all the time. pour the mixture on a large tray and cool it down to 35°C (95°F). Pour the cooled mixture in a bowl and add the butter one cube at a time and emulsify using an immersion blender. You should end up with a creamy and delicious emulsion.

Pour the cremeux in the tart shell and place in the fridge until set (2 hours).

Place blackberries and raspberries on top, garnish with mint and other decoration you have on hand.